While most people stood on the sidewalk to watch the Veishea parade, members of the Iowa State Skydivers Club had a different view of the festivities.

Rob Meyer, a senior in physics and president of the ISU Skydivers Club, was the first student in three years to “jump” into the Veishea parade.

“We had four people jump into campus,” Meyer said. “I was the first actual student to do it in a few years.”

Meyer said usually student skydivers are not here long enough to receive their “D” licenses, which would allow them to jump into the parade. A “D” license, he said “requires 200 jumps among other qualifications.”

“Veishea activities went great,” Meyer said. “We had a lot of people sign up to do tandems at our open house.”

Meyer said a tandem skydive is “when you are attached to an instructor by a harness.”

Meyer said the tandem dive is for people who want to try skydiving once — either just to do it or to move on from there to become a student diver.

Brad Eichelberger, a senior in ag business and management information systems, said in order to join the club “you’re going to have to learn how to skydive, which can be done through Accelerated FreeFall Iowa (AFFI) in Boone.”

Eichelberger said the instructor there is Hashem Hashemi-Toroghi.

“Hashem is one of the most experienced divers in the country. He has made almost 8,000 jumps,” Meyer said.

Eichelberger, club treasurer, said the club has informational meetings twice a semester and meets every weekend at the Boone Airport if the weather permits.

The Skydivers Club also participates in football game jumps, yearly trips, and the Collegiate Nationals competition, he said.

“Collegiate Nationals is our biggest event. This year it was held in Sebastian, Fla. There were 100 competitors from 33 colleges and universities,” he said. “We skydive all day and sleep in tents on the airport, along with all the participants from other schools. We call it tent city. It’s a blast.”

Anyone interested in joining the Skydivers Club can call Meyer at 292-7074.